This group delivers where others do not. Genuine global and regional CMOs come together to help inform WFA’s agenda and connect with their peers on matters of common importance with a view to identifying meaningful solutions to their most pressing challenges.

CMO Forum sets out to tackle the biggest challenges facing our ecosystem. Issues of trust bedevil both brands’ relationships with their audiences and their industry partners. Marketing transformation is significantly impacting global, regional and local marketing structures and capabilities. Data-driven marketing presents as many risks as it does opportunities.

The global group that meets at Cannes Lions is chaired by WFA President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard, Raja Rajamannar. 

For all the talk of customer-centricity, most members of the CMO Forum admit that they are still on a journey towards realising this vision. That’s why this group has helped to develop and champion WFA’s flagship initiative, Better Marketing (formerly Project Reconnect).

Better Marketing is born from the belief that brands don’t always get it right. We have all found ads at some point to be annoying, even intrusive.

Worse, advertising is often blamed for some of society’s most intractable problems. Some like to point the finger at marketers for online privacy issues, childhood obesity, alcohol misuse, financial debt and for promoting unsustainable behaviours.

The initiative is designed to help marketers ensure their brands’ behaviour is better aligned with what people want and expect. It does this by sharing inspirational brand stories, showing how meaningful and valued brand experiences pay dividends and showcasing initiatives taken by senior marketers to foster the right environment for great work to flourish.